<p><em>SARASOTA COUNTY</em> - An investor paid $2.9 million for a retail property on Tamiami Trail that houses the Vitamin Shoppe and Mattress Firm.</p><p>Gary Koppe, who was represented by a Miami-based brokerage, bought the 8,840-square-foot building at 4104 S. Tamiami Trail, records show.</p><p>The seller was local investor Rodney Dessberg, who paid $942,900 for the building twelve years ago, records show.</p><p>Ricardo Ruiz del Vizo with Optimus Commercial Real Estate Investment Advisors, a Keller Williams commercial realty team based on St. Armand's Circle, represented the seller. Jay Suarez with RE2000, a Miami based brokerage, represented the buyer.</p><p>Dessberg was one of the buyers earlier this month of a 14,241-square-foot restaurant at 455 North U.S. 41 Bypass in Venice for $1.3 million, records show.</p><p>Dessberg's RD Venice Hotel LLC bought the property along with 41 Bypass LLC, a Sarasota company managed by Vincent Payne.</p><p>Together, they financed the deal with a $1.375 million loan from Kompo Family Company LLC.</p><p>The restaurant was formerly part of the 167-room Best Southwestern Motel, a company managed by Bernard LeBlanc that defaulted on a $10 million loan from Iberia Bank, records show.</p>